Address drugs shortage urgently, govt urged

THE continued reports of drug shortages in our health facilitate must be addressed as a matter of urgency by the UPND government, Zambia Must Prosper (ZMP) has observed.

ZMP is saddened that President Hakainde Hichilema’s UPND government has neglected the health sector, which has resulted in many parts of the country facing a shortage of medicines and medical supplies.

ZMP spokesperson Trymore Mwenda has told the Daily Nation that the impact of the prolonged shortage of medicines in terms of human life would never be known but that government would be held accountable for failing Zambians.

He disclosed that the ZMP had established that a number of district hospitals such as Chipata, Kalindawalo, Petauke and Lundazi were issuing prescriptions to patients even for basic essential drugs which were expected to be found in all health facilities.

“Central Province has not been spared as most of the health centres in Kabwe, Mkushi, Serenje, Chtambo, Mumbwa are experiencing the same shortage of drugs.

“What we are saying is that this problem is everywhere whether in Luapula, Southern, Western, Muchinga, Luapula, Copperbelt, North-Western, Northern and Lusaka the Capital City of this country,” Mr Mwenda said

He said citizens were expressing outrage at the UPND government’s failure to address the problem more than a year since they took over the reins of government.

“We are appealing to the UPND Government to address the drugs shortage immediately as a matter of urgency as this touches on people’s lives,” Mr Mwenda said.

He claimed that ZMP under the leadership of president Kelvin Fube Bwalya placed a high premium on citizens’ lives because once life was lost it could never be replaced.